Plow.



J. W. CHAIN.

PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1912 1,092,632. Patented Apr. 7, 1914 2$HEETS-SHEET 1.

amuemfoz J WCraim J. W. GRAIN.

PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1912.

1 092 632. Patented Apr. 7, 1914 2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

mmmroz I UNITED STATES rarsnr orruon.

JOHN W. CRAI-N, OF WINCHESTER, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOE OF ONE-FOURTH TOVICTOR BLOOMFIELD, OF WINCHESTER, KENTUCKY.

PLOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. '3, 1914.

7 '0 ad whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN WV. GRAIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at .Vinchestcr, in the county ofClark atud State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Plows; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use thesame.

7 My invention relates to improvements in plows, and it consists in theconstructions, combinations and arrangements herein described andclaimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved rotary plow adaptedfor efficient operation under all practical conditions, and providedwithmeans for preventing injury or destruction of the plow blades byencountering stones or other obstructions.

A further ob ect of my invention is to provide a strong and durablerotary plow which will operate advantageously in all characters ofsoils, and which can be adjusted to produce any desired depth of cut.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved rotary plow,which can be readily adjusted to break up or disintegrate the soil toany desired extent.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and inwhich similar reference symbols indi ate corresponding parts in .theseveral views: Figure l is a side elevation, illustrating one embodimentof my invention applied to a gasolenc tractor; Fig. 2 is a rear view ofthe plow construction shown-in Fig. l, with parts broken away; and Fig.-3 is an enlarged side view of one of the plow-blade supports and holdingmembers rotatably mounted on a transverse bar of the reel.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the bed of any usual gasolenetractor provided with traction wheels'2 secured to its rear axle 3. Plowbeams 4 are rotatably mounted on the axle 3, with their rear endssupported by chains 5 connected to drums 6; said drums being secured toa shaft 7 journaled in frames 8 of the tractor bed 1. Any suitable meanscan be employed for rotating the drum 6. such as a worm Wheel 9 securedto the shaft 7 in mesh with a worm 10 on a rod 11, which latter can bedriven from any oonvenient part of the transmission mechanism :of thetractor. A central shaft 12 is rotaends of said beams 1, and adjust-ablylocked in said bearings by a lever 1 L secured to the end of said shaftand carrying any usual latch mechanism 15 for lockingly engaging theadjacent bearing 13. A reel, comprising cutting disks 16 spaced apart bysleeves 17 and rigidly clamped by rods 18, is rotatably mounted on saidcentral shaft 12; said reel being driven by sprocket wheels 19 securedthereto for engagement by sprocket chains 20 leading from drive sprocketwheels 21 on the tractor axle 3.

A series of supports 22 for the plow blades 23 is provided with spacedlugs 24 rotatably mounted on the sleeves 17 in position for en gagementv holding members 25 rotatably mounted on the sleeves 17 between saidlugs 24; said supports 22 and members 25 being normally maintained inengagement at their surfaces 26 by strong spriiigs 27 encircling curvedrods 28 secured to lugs 22* on said supports and extending slidablythrough lugs 25 on said members. The plow blades 23 are yieidingly swungforwardly to cutting position on the sleeves 17 by springs 29secured attheir respective ends to said supports 22 and to collars 30 rigidlysecured on said sleeves; the disks (5 being provided with plates 31 forengaging the adjacent plow blades to limit such forward swing of thelatter, and the forward swing of theintermediate plow blades beinglimited by pin and slot-connections 32 and 33 between the blade supports22 and sleeves 17.

A plurality of cams 31 are secured on the central shaft 12 in positionfor engaging rollers 35 on the series of holding members, 25, forswinging said members to comprew the strong springs 27 under sufficienttension plow blades in their forward cutting position on, the sleeves 17during a portion of the rotation of he plow' reel; said springs beingformed of suflicient strength and stifi mess to, in said compressecbcondition, strongly lock the plow blades in cutting position during allnormal operation of the cul-. tivator, but to yield under the excessivestrains exerted on the plow blades upon-encountering stonesor similarabnormal re sistances. The position of the cains 34: is

'tably mounted in bearings 13 on the rear between the lugs '22 and 25 tomaintain the tion repeated.

readily varied by adjusting the central shaft 12 in its bearings 13 bythe lever l-l and latch 15.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, one of the hold ingmembers is shown at Ayieldingly maintained in cutting position against its stop 31 b thespring 29, and the next holding mein er is shown at B just entering intoen gagement with the cam 34: for holding the plow blade in cuttingposition. A holding member 25 is shown at C just leaving the cam 34:upon completion of the cutting stroke of the plow blade, therebypermitting the holding member and plow-blade support to be swungrearwardly to tilting position against the tension of the spring 29 bythe weight of the soil engaged thereby. This shifting of the plow bladeto the tilting position shown at D causes the soil to be dischargedfreely therefrom, whereupon the blade will he again swung into cuttingposition against its stop 31, and the above opera.- It Will be obviousthat, by shifting the cam 3 to enga e the holding member rollers 35along di erent portions of the rotation of the plow reel, the cuttingaction of the plow blades and the extent to whichthe soil is elevatedcan be varied to' break up the soil toany desired extent.

During normal operation, the strong springs 27 maintain the plowsupports 22 and holding members 25 against relative rotation on thesleeres l7, and said springs 27 provide eflicien t-t i'iieans forpermitting the plow blades to yield upon encountering stones or othersimilar obstructions. The plow blades 28 are secured to their supports22 in any well known manner, and preferably overlap the abutting faces26 of said members and supports to effectively shield the latter againstentrance of dirt.

I have illustrated and described preferred but sxitieiaetoryconstructions, but changes could be made within the spirit and scope ofmy invention.

1 claim 1. In a rotary plow, the combination of a reel, means forrotatably supporting said reel in contact with "be ground, plow bladesshiftably mounted. on said reel, means for yieldingi v' maintaining Snidshiftabie blades in cutting position, and menus for holding said bladesin cutting position through a portion of the rotation ol said reel.

In a rotary plow, the combixuztion ol :1 reel. mums for rotala ly sup'iorting said reel in contact with the ground. plow blades shiftablymounted on id reel, means for yieldingly niintaiuing said ittable bladesin cutting position, and menus tor yicldingly holding said blades incutting position through :1 portion of the rotation of said reel.

3. ln. a rotary plow, the (:nlnbillullou of a reel, meanstor rolalublysupporting Milli reel in cont-art with the ground, plow blades shittablynuumted on said reel, menus for Vieldingly nmiutuining said shil'luhlcbludes' in cutting position, menus for holding said blades in cuttingposition through a portion of the-rotation ot'suid reel, and adjustableing means.

4. In a r tary plow, the rombimdion of a reel, means tor rotulablysupporting said reel in contact with the ground, cooperating dew-bladesupports and holding members rotatably mounted on said reel, and meansfor engaging said holding members through a portion of the rotation ofsaid reel t holding the plow blades in cutting position.

5. .ln a rotary plow, the combination of :1 reel, means for rotalablysupporting said reel in contact with the 'ouud, plovvbludo supportsrotatably mounted on said reel, holding members r l-alably mounted onsaid rs-cl for engaging said blade supports, yielding means for normallynminluiniug said supports and members in engugeuu-ut, and means forengaging said-holding members through a portion ot the rotation oi saidreel for yicldingly holding the plow blades in cutting position.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN W. GIL UN.

\Vitncsses:

J. A. McCoUn'r, S. T. DAVIS.

means for shifting the position ol' mid hold-

